Automatic strapping machine



March 31, 1964 A. J. KOBYLANSKI ETAL 3,126,686.

AUTOMATIC STRAPPING MACHINE Filed Dec. 6. 1961 10 Sheets-Sheet 1 March31, 1964 A. J. KOBYLANSKI ETAL 3,126,686

AUTOMATIC STRAPPING MACHINE Filed Dec. 6. 1961 10 Sheets-Sheet 2 A. J.KOBYLANSKI ETAL 3,126,686

AUTOMATIC STRAPPING MACHINE March 31, 1964 Filed Dec. 6. 1961 1QSheets-Sheet 3 I 3w 3N March 31, 1964 A. J. KOBYLANSKI ETAL 3,126,686

AUTOMATIC STRAPPING MACHINE Filed Dec. 6, 1961 T 10 Sheets-Sheet 5 T II90 2 lBB March 31, 964 A4 J. KOBYLANSKI ETAL 3, 5

AUTOMATIC STRAPPING MACHINE Filed Dec. 6, 1961 10 Sheets-Sheet 6 March31, 1964 A. J. KOBYLANSKI ETAL 3,126,636

AUTOMATIC STRAPPING MACHINE Filed Dec. 6. 1961 10 Sheets-Sheet 7 l l l iI A. J. KOBYLANSKI ETAL AUTOMATIC STRAPPING MACHINE March 31, 1964 10Sheets-Sheet 8 Filed Dec. 6. 1961 March 1964 A. J- KOBYLANSKI ETAL 2AUTOMATIC STRAPPING MACHINE Filed Dec. 6. 1961 10 Sheets-Sheet 9PIA/657$ JEALER PLATA' March 31, 1964 A. JIKQBYLANSKI ET-AL AUTOMATICSTRAPPING MACHINE Filed Dec. 6. 1951' 10 Sheets-Sheet 1O hw mmm I IIIIll llll ,l i! -liiu 4 IIIIIIIIII L I 4| locking engagement.

United States Patent 3,126,686 AUTOMATIC STRAPPING MACHINE Anthony J.Kobylan'ski, Montreal, Quebec, and Paul Emile Fontaine, Verdun, Quebec,Canada, assignors,

by mesne assignments, to FMC Corporation, San Jose,

Calif., a corporation of Delaware Filed Dec. 6, 1961, Ser. No. 157,40519 Claims. (Cl. 53-198) This invention relates to a machine or apparatusfor securing flexible bands about an article such as a package and moreparticularly to a machine for automatically applying and securing aflexible, non-metallic strap about articles or groups of articles ofvarying sizes and shapes.

It has long been customary to secure bands such as wire, twine or steelstraps about packages and cartons which may be subjected to roughtreatment during shipment, in order to reinforce them and minimize oreliminate damage to the package and contents. When the binding materialis wire, it is quite generally held in place by twisting the endsthereof together and when twine is employed, the ends are usuallysecured by tying. In the case of steel strap, the ends of the strap arepositioned in mutually lapping relationship and held together either bywelding or by encircling the lapping portions with a sleeve anddeforming the edges of the strap into inter- Various types and styles ofmachines are described in the patent art for automatically securingwire, twine and steel strapping about shipping cartons or the like, suchmachines being normally adapted to handle only one particular type ofbinding material.

There has recently been introduced a new type of binding or strappingmaterial which is used in a manner similar to steel strapping and offersfor many applications advantages over steel strapping. This newstrapping material consists of a plurality of high tenacity tire cordsadhered together side by side in the form of a flat weftless tape orstrap. For convenience of reference such strapping material will bereferred to as cord strapping. Cord strapping is much more flexible thansteel strap and because of this, and for other reasons, it cannot beused with most machinery designed to apply steel strap. While cordstrapping may be secured by tying the ends together, it is preferable tomutually overlap the ends and hold them together by means of a metalseal or sleeve which is crimped thereabout so that the strap lies fiatagainst the package, in the manner of the familiar steel strap.

While the hereinafter disclosed embodiment of the present invention isspecifically directed to a machine intended to apply cord strapping, itwill be apparent that such machine is equally suitable for applyingother types of flexible, non-metallic strapping and that with minormodifications well within the skill of the art, it can be adapted foruse with such binding materials as wire, twine or steel strapping.

It is the general object of this invention to provide an improvedapparatus for automatically applying and securing a flexible bindingmaterial about an article or group of articles.

A more specific object of the invention is to provide such an apparatuswhich will accommodate articles of different sizes and/ or shapeswithout the need of any adjustment whatsoever.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a machineparticularly adapted to secure cord strapping about a package in suchmanner that the overlapping ends of the strap will lie fiat against thepackage.

A further object of the invention is to provide an automatic strappingmachine having means whereby the tension on the strap may be readilyregulated.

Another object of the invention is to provide an auto- 3 ,126,686Patented 'Mar. 31, 1964 w ICC matic strapping machine having improvedmeans for securing the ends of the strap together.

A still further object of the invention is to provide an automaticstrapping machine having improved means for severing the secured portionof the strap from the strap supply.

Yet another object is to provide, in an automatic strapping machine, animproved means for grasping the strap in order to move the same about apackage.

Other objects, advantages and novel features of the invention willbecome apparent as the description of a preferred embodiment thereofproceeds.

Referring now to the drawings:

FIGS. 1 through 6 represent diagrammatically the overall sequence ofoperations of the machine during the strapping of a package;

FIG. 7 is a diagrammatic view showing the power system of the machine;

FIG. 8 is a side eelvational view of a portion of the machine;

FIG. 9 is an elevational view of a portion of the apparatus showing thestrap carrier in strap gripping condition;

FIG. 10 is a fragmentary View on an enlarged scale showing theengagement between the strap carrier and the strap;

FIG. 11 is a side elevational View of the strap carrier showing theparts in strap gripping condition;

FIG. 12 is a sectional view taken along the line XII- XII of FIG. 11;

FIG. 13 is an end elevational view of the strap carrier showing the samein strap released condition;

FIG. 14 is a view partly in section and partly in diagrammatic sideelevation of a portion of the machine;

FIG. 15 is a sectional view taken along the line XV XV of FIG. 14;

FIG. 16 is a side elevational view showing the operation of a strapgripping device effective during tensioning of the strap;

FIG. 17 is a view taken along the line XVIIXVII of FIG. 16;

FIG. 18 is a view partially in section and partially in side elevationshowing particularly the manner of feeding seals to the sealer;

FIG. 19 is a plan view of the mechanism for feeding seals to the sealer;

FIG. 20 is a perspective view of the seal used with the machine;

FIG. 21 is a perspective view showing the seal applied to the strap;

FIG. 22 is an elevational View showing particularly the devicesassociated with sealing or securing the ends of the strap;

FIG. 23 is a plan view of the sealer, one cover plate being removed;

FIG. 24 is a view partially in section and partially in plan of aportion of the mechanism;

FIG. 25 is a plan view of the cutter which severs the secured portion ofthe strap from the supply;

FIG. 26 is a side elevational view of the cutter;

FIG. 27 is an end elevational view of the cutter;

FIG. 28 is a side elevational view showingthe drive and cycle controlmechanism;

FIG. 29 is a fragmentary view showing a portion of the cam mechanismcontrolling forward and reverse movements of the machine;

FIG. 30 is an exploded view of the cycle control cams showing therelative positions thereof when not in operation;

FIG. 31 is a graph showing the operating sequence of certain of thecams;

FIG. 32 is a plan view of the drive and cycle control mechanism;

FIG. 33 is a sectional view shcwing details of the operating mechanismof a clutch which controls the stopping positions of the chain whichcarries the strap carrier, the parts being shown with the machine inidle condition;

FIG. 34 is a view similar to FIG. 33 showing the parts positioned at thebeginning of the forward drive; and

FIG. 35 is a plan view of a portion of the transmission and clutchcontrol mechanism.

GENERAL OPERATION (FIGS. 1-6) Before describing the details ofconstruction and operation, the machine will be described briefly in ageneral way and attention is directed first to FIGS. 1 through 6. Thepackage It) to be strapped is placed on a slotted table 11 within theconfines of an endless chain 12 which is trained about sprockets 13, 14,15, and 16, sprocket 13 being driven, as will be described, andsprockets 14, 15, and 16 being idlers which merely guide the chain. Aroll 17 or other supply of 'fiexible strapping material is positioned inproximity to the slotted table and the strap 18 passes from the supplythrough a normally open gripping device generally indicated at 19, overa guide roller 29, about a tensioning roller 21 and the leading endthereof is attached to a strap carrier secured to chain 12, said carrierbeing designated generally at 22. At the beginning of the strappingoperation the parts are positioned as shown in FIG. 1 and when themachine is started, chain 12 moves counterclockwise and the strapcarrier 22 moves completely about the package and comes to rest in theposition shown in FIG. 2 with the trailing end of the strap overlappingthe leading end held by said carrier. Next a pair of relatively thinfingers 23 are projected be tween the overlapping portions of the strapand the package and, as indicated in FIG. 3, tensioning roller 21 ismoved downward to remove the slack in the strap and tighten the strapabout the package. However, as roller 21 starts its downward movement,gripping device 19 grips the strap between said roller and the supplyroll 17 so that downward movement of roller 21 does not withdraw strapfrom the supply but is only effective to tighten the strap about thepackage.

The purpose of fingers 23 is to hold the strap slightly away from thepackage so as to permit a sealer, indicated generally at 24 in FIG. 4,to apply a seal 25 about overlapping ends of the strap. FIG. 4 indicatesthat the sealer 24 has moved about the strap and applied the seal andhas returned to normal position and it will be observed that fingers 23have been withdrawn, tensioning roller 21 has returned to normalposition and gripper 19 has released the strap. As will presently beexplained, withdrawal of the fingers, return of the tensioning rollerand release of the gripper 19, all take place while the sealer is incontact with the strap.

After the overlapping ends of the strap have been secured together andthe sealer has returned to its home position, chain 12 is driven in thereverse or clockwise direction to move strap carrier 22 from theposition shown in FIGS. 2, 3, and 4 back to the FIG. 1 position.However, before the reverse movement of the chain is instituted, thestrap carrier must be released from the strap and to this end there is alever 26 slidably and pivotably mounted on a stationary part of themachine and articulated to a slidably mounted plate 27, shown in FIGS.and 6. Just before chain 12 begins the reverse movement, plate 27 ismoved from the position shown in FIG. 5 to the position shown in FIG. 6and during the course of this movement lever 26 is moved slightly towardthe left and the free end thereof is swung upward to rock a portion ofstrap carrier 22 and cause it to release the strap. Further leftwardmovement of plate 27 brings the leading edge thereof into engagementwith the strap carrier and moves said strap carrier bodily away from thestrap from the position shown in FIG. 5 to the full line position shownin FIG. 6. As the chain then moves clockwise (downward as seen in FIGS.5 and 6) strap 6". carrier 22 slides along the edge of plate 27 until itreaches the bottom of the plate, whereupon said carrier snaps to theright under the action of a spring and re-engages the strap.

Plate 27 also controls a scissors-like strap severing device generallyindicated at 28 in FIG. 6. Severing device 23 is normally located to theright of the position shown in FIG. 6 and when plate 27 moves to theFIG. 6 position, it permits the severing device to move to the positionshown, with the two blades of the scissors-like device on opposite sidesof the strap. Return movement of plate 27 is first effective to operatethe severing device so as to cut the strap between seal and strapcarrier 22 and then to move the severing device bodily away from thepath of movement of the strap. The strapping operation is now completedand the various parts of the machine are in position for starting thenext strapping operation.

While certain of the above referred to elements of the machine areoperated by, or the operation is instituted by, others of the elements,a number of them have their own independent power drives, the operationof which is controlled either by the movement of chain 12 or by a commoncycle control mechanism. The power system of the machine is showndiagrammatically in FIG. 7 and will now be briefly described.

POWER SYSTEM (FIG. 7)

Chain sprocket 13 is driven by an electric motor 29 which is connectedto said sprocket through a forward and reverse transmission 30 and aclutch 31. Motor 29 is connected to a power line 32 through a switch 33and when the switch is closed the machine is conditioned for operation,although merely closing the switch does not institute any machineoperation because transmission 30 is normally in neutral condition. Themajor functions of the machine are powered pneumatically and operationof the machine is instituted pneumatically. Air under pressure issupplied through a line 34 to a reservoir 35 and a line 36 connects saidreservoir to a normally closed valve 37, which in turn is connectedthrough a line 38 to one end of an air cylinder 39. Valve 37 is manuallycontrolled, preferably by a foot lever 40, and when the operatordepresses said foot lever, air is admitted to line 38 and cylinder 39.However, valve 37 is so constructed that it closes automatically a shortperiod of time after being opened by the foot lever, even if the footlever is held depressed. Air cylinder 39 has a piston 41 which isconnected by a linkage 42 to a slide 43 which controls transmission 3%),in a manner presently to be explained. A cam follower 44 is associatedwith linkage 42 and a spring 45 normally holds the cam follower againsta set of cams designated generally at 46, the action of cams 46 onfollower 44 normally positioning slide 43 so that the transmission is inneutral. When air is admitted to cylinder 39, linkage 41 and slide 43are moved toward the left as viewed in FIG. 7 and shift the transmissioninto forward drive. Clutch 31 is normally disengaged but movement ofslide 43 causes it to become engaged, so that when transmission 30 isshifted into forward drive, motor 29 begins to drive sprocket 13 andchain 12 in the forward direction, that is, counterclockwise as viewedin FIGS. 1 through 4. As strap carrier 22 approaches its FIG. 2position, it operates means presently to be explained which disengageclutch 31 and stop the forward movement of the chain, although outputshaft 47 of the transmission continues to rotate in the forwarddirection because at that time the transmission is still in forwarddrive, being held in this condition by the set of cams 46.

Transmission output shaft 47 is connected through a gear traindesignated generally in FIG. 7 at 43 to a cycle control shaft 49 onwhich cam set 46 is mounted and to which is keyed three other cams A, B,and C. As will be explained later in detail, shaft 49' is driven in aforward direction for approximately 400, at which time d cam set 46 iseffective to permit spring 45 to move slide 43 toward the right andshift transmission into reverse, in which condition it remains untilshaft 49 is driven in reverse through a angle to restore it to itsrelative starting position, being then actually one complete revolutionremoved from where it started.

A cam follower 50 normally rides a high portion of cam A but during thecontinued forward rotation of shaft 4?, after clutch 31 has beendisengaged and strap carrier 22 has come to rest in the FIG. 2 position,follower 50 moves into a low portion of the cam. Cam follower 50 isassociated with a three ported valve 51 having an inlet connected by aline 52 to air supply reservoir 35 and a pair of outlet ports connectedby lines 53 and 54 to opposite ends of a double acting air cylinder 55,a piston 56 of which is connected through a linkage, not shown in FIG.7, to the hereinbefore mentioned finger 23. When follower St is engagedwith the high portion of cam A, valve 51 is conditioned to admit airinto line 53 which causes cylinder 55 to hold fingers 23 in retractedposition and when said follower drops into the low portion of the cam itcauses valve 51 to close line 53 and open line 54, whereupon air isadmitted to the opposite end of cylinder 55 to cause fingers 23 to movebetween the strap 18 and the package, as shown in FIG. 3.

The linkage between piston 56 and fingers 23 includes an element 57which, when the fingers move forward, is effective to operate a threeported valve 58. Valve 58 is connected by a line 59 to the air reservoir35 and has discharge ports connected by lines 60 and 61 to opposite endsof a double acting cylinder 62 which has a piston 63 connected to straptensioning roller 21. Normally valve 58 admits air into line 60 to holdtensioning roller 21 in its upper position shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 but asfingers 23 reach their forward position, element 57 operates said valveso as to close line 60 and admit air into line 61 to thereby causeroller 21 to move downward to tighten the strap. A manually operatedpressure regulating valve 64 in line 59 enables adjustment of the forceon tensioning roller 21 and thus determines the amount of tensionapplied to the strap. Piston 63 has a long stroke so that it can removea fairly large amount of slack which may be in the strap but the air incylinder 62 will exert only the pressure determined by the setting ofvalve 64 so that the tension applied to the strap is independent of theamount of slack or size of the article being strapped.

Cam B controls the action of a follower 65 which determines the settingof a three ported valve 66. A line 67 leads from reservoir 35 to valve66 and lines 6:; and 69 connect the two output ports of said valve toopposite ends of a double acting cylinder 70 which has a piston 71connected through a linkage not shown in FIG. 7 to sealer 24. Whenfollower 65 is riding a high segment of cam B, valve 66 is conditionedto admit air into line 68 which causes cylinder 70 to hold the sealeraway from the strap. When follower 65 moves into a low segment of thecam, valve 66 is operated to close the port to line 68 and open the portto line 69 so that air is admitted to the opposite end of cylinder 79,which causes sealer 24 to be projected into sealing engagement with thestrap.

The previously referred to plate 27 which causes the strap carrier 22 torelease the strap before the chain 12 starts its reverse movement andwhich controls also the action of severing device 28 is operated by adouble acting cylinder 72 the opposite ends of which are connected bylines 73 and 74 to a three ported valve 75. The entry port of valve 75is connected by a line 76 to reservoir 35 and said valve is controlledby a cam follower 77 which cooperates with cam C. When follower 77 isengaged with a high segment of the cam, valve 75 admits air to line 73which causes cylinder 72 to hold plate 27 in the position shown in FIG.5 and when said follower moves into a low segment of the cam the valvecloses the port to line 73 and admits air to line 74 which causescylinder 72 to move the plate to the position shown in FIG. 6.

With the above described overall operation of the machine in mind, thestructural features of the various elements will now be explained. Asshown in FIG. 8, the framework of the machine includes a yoke whichextends above table 11, said yoke comprising a pair of uprights 80 and82 and a cross member 84. Chain sprockets 14 and 15 are mounted at theintersections of the uprights and the cross member. Chain sprocket 13 issecured to a shaft 86 which, as shown in FIG. 27 is rotatably mountedbelow table 11 in a frame member 88. Sprocket 13 is vertically alignedwith sprocket 14. Chain sprocket 16 is carried by a shaft 90 mounted ina vertically extending slot 92 located in vertical alignment withsprocket 15 but beneath table 11. Slot 92 permits the position ofsprocket 16 to be adjusted to facilitate the initial training of chain12 about the four sprockets. As is common in machines of this type, aslot 14 extends across table 11 between uprights 8t and 82 so as topermit the strap to be drawn entirely about the package and the verticalruns of the chain extend through said slot.

STRAP CARRiER 22 Strap carrier 22 is connected to chain 12 and saidcarrier is best shown in FIGS. 9-13, to which attention is now directed.Said carrier comprises a body member 96 having a pair of flanges, one ofwhich is indicated at 98 in FIG. 12, which lie against the oppositesides of roller chain 12. A pair of long pins 165) forming pivot pointsof the chain extend through flanges 98 to thus secure body member fi6 tothe chain without interfering with the movement of the chain about thesprockets. Secured to body member 96 by screws 102 is a member 104having a portion 106 extending outwardly away from chain 12. Theoutwardly extending portion of member 164 terminates at a shoulder 103and has a sloping lower surface 110. A member 112 is slidably mounted inbody member 26 and a spring 114 urges member 112 toward the right asviewed in FIG. 11. Spring 114 fits about a pin 116 in a cavity in bodymember 96 and extends into a cylindrical opening 118 in member 112. Ascrew 126 has an end positioned within a slot in member 112 to limit themovement of said member.

Slide member 112 extends considerably beyond the shoulder 168 of member104 and includes a strap spanning end portion 122 and a portion 124having a curved surface 126. Swingably mounted on slide member 112 is astrap gripping member 128 having a half-cylindrical portion 130 locatedwithin the strap spanning end portion 122 and a curved operating arm132. When the machine is not loaded with strap, curved operating arm 132is held against the curved surface 126 by a spring 134 which extendsbetween a pin 136 in arm 132 and a pin 138 fixed in the portion 124 ofmember 112.

Gripping member 128 is shown in normal strap-gripping position in FIGS.9, 10 and 11 and in strap-released position in FIG. 13. It will be notedin FIG. 10 that the half-cylindrical portion 130 is pinching strap 18between it and a shoulder 139 of the strap-spanning end 122 of member112 in such manner that a downward pull on the strap will tend to rockportion 136 counterclockwise to increase the grip on the strap and inFIG. 9 it will be observed that the free end of operating arm 132 isaligned with the shoulder 168 of member 104. To release the strapcarrier from the strap, gripper 128 is rocked from the FIG. 9 positionto the FIG. 13 position so that the end of operating arm 132 is nolonger aligned with shoulder 1118. Slide member 112, which carriesgripper 128, is then moved to the left as viewed in FIG. 11 until theend of operating arm 132 overrides the extending portion 106 of member1424 which thus prevents the gripper from being swung back by spring134.

The strap gripping function of carrier 22 is under control of thepreviously referred to lever 26 and plate 27. As shown in FIG. 14, lever26 is provided with an elongated slot 146 through which extends a pin142 secured to the stationary framework of the machine. A compressionspring 144 acting between lever 26 and pin 142 urges said lever towardthe left as viewed in FIG. 14. A cam following roller 146 on lever 26rides in a cam slot 148 provided in plate 27. In FIG. 14, plate 27 isshown in its fully extended position, corresponding to the positionshown in FIG. 6, and it will be observed that the free end of lever 26has been rocked upward by the action of cam slot 148 on roller 146 andthat the free end of said lever is extended beyond the path of strap 18.Strap carrier 22 is shown in ghost outline in three positions in FIG.14, the upper position being at the moment the chain starts its reversemovement, the middle position being during the reverse movement and thelower position being at the end of the reverse movement of the chain.When plate 27 is in its retracted position indicated in FIG. 5, roller146 of lever 26 is positioned firmly in engagement with the end 151 ofcam slot 143 and the end of the cam slot has moved said lever bodily tothe right, compressing spring 144. Thus when plate 27 is fullyretracted, the end of lever 26 is out of the path of movement of strapcarrier 22. As the plate 27 starts to move toward the position shown inFIG. 14, spring 144 holds roller 146 in engagement with the end 150 ofcam slot 148 until the back of slot 140 strikes the pin 142 and at thattime the free end of lever 26 is directly beneath the end of grippingelement rocker arm 152. Continued leftward movement of plate 27 thencauses cam slot 148 and roller 146 to lift the free end of lever 26which thereby swings rocker arm 132 upward from the position shown inFIG. 9 to the position shown in FIG. 13 so as to release the strap asabove described. Then further leftward movement of plate 27 brings theleading edge 152 thereof into contact with portion 124 of the strapcarrier and forces the slide member 112 to the left to move the strapspanning end 122 of the carrier away from the strap. During the reversemovement of chain 12, strap carrier 22 rides the edge 152 of plate 27and is thereby held out of contact with the strap. As carrier 22 reachesits lowermost position, shown in FIGS. 1 and 9, it drops off the edge ofplate 26 and the spring 114 thereupon snaps slide member 112 forward sothat the end 122 of the carrier again surrounds the strap and spring 134rocks the gripper 128 so as to re-engage the strap.

To assure the strap being in proper alignment to be re-engaged by thecarrier 22 when said carrier reaches its starting position, a strapguide 154, best shown in FIG. 9, is provided. Guide 154 is pivotablymounted at 146 and has a slot 158 through which the strap passes. Ashoulder 160 of the guide is held by a spring 162 against an adjustablestop 164. When carrier 22 reaches the starting position at the end ofthe reverse movement of chain 12, it is closely above the guide slot ofguide 154 so that when strap spanning end 122 of the carrier movesforward it will properly span the strap. During forward movement of thechain, the end of the strap carrier contacts strap guide 154 and rocksit counterclockwise as viewed in FIG. 9. As soon as the carrier passesby the guide, spring 162 restores said guide to proper guiding position.

FINGERS 23 After the strap carrier has made its complete forwardmovement from the starting position shown in FIG. 1 and has come to restin the FIG. 2 position, the hereinbefore mentioned fingers 23 areprojected between the strap and the package. As shown in FIG. 22,fingers 23 are slidably mounted in a fixed frame or carriage memher 166so as to move between an extended position between strap 12 and thepackage and a retracted position, the extended position being shown inFIG. 22. Lower finger 23 has an arm 168 which extends into a slot in theupper finger whereby the two fingers move as a unit. A link 170 ispivotably connected at one end to lower finger 23 and at the oppositeend to one arm of a bell crank 172 pivotably mounted on a shaft 174.Piston 56 of double acting cylinder 55 is connected to the other arm ofhell crank 172 and said other arm carries the element 57 which operatesthe three ported valve 58 controlling the operation of the straptensioning mechanism.

STRAP TENSIONER 21 AND GRIPPER 19 The strap tensioning mechanism isshown in FIGS. 8, 16, 17 and 28 to which attention is now directed.Roller 21 is mounted on a shaft 176 extending between the arms of a yoke173 secured to the end of piston 63 of double acting air cylinder 62(see FIG. 7). As previously mentioned, there is a strap gripping device19 which operates at the same time as roller 21 so that downwardmovement of the roller does not withdraw strap from the supply 17 but isonly effective to remove the slack from that portion of the strap loopedabout the package and to tighten the strap about the package. Thusgripping device 19 is an essential part of the strap tensioningmechanism.

The gripping device comprises a block 130 having an end portion 182, abottom portion 184 and a side portion 186. An angle bracket 188 securedto a frame plate 19%) supports block 180. A cover member 192 is securedto side portion 186 of the block and extends over the end portion 182leaving a narrow opening therebetween to accommodate the strap. A wedge194 having a serrated edge 196 rests upon the bottom portion 184 ofblock 181) and lies against the side portion 186 thereof. A spring 198fits in aligned bores in wedge 194 and end portion 182 of the block andurges said block in the direction to engage the serrated edge thereofwith strap 18 so as to pinch the strap between said serrated edge andthe cover member 192. Spring 198, by its engagement with the alignedbores in block and wedge 194 also serves to hold the wedge against theside 186 of the block. By leaving one side of block 130 open, theinitial threading of the strap through the gripper is considerablyfacilitated.

Block 188 is slotted at one end between bottom portion 184 and sideportion 186 and a shaft 260 is rotatably mounted in said block so as toextend through this slot and protrude beyond the side 186. A lever 2112is secured to shaft 2% and works within the slot between bottom portion154 and side portion 186 and an operating arm 294- is secured to theshaft adjacent the outer side of side portion 186. Arm 2614 is curvedand the free end thereof rests upon shaft 176 carrying the tensioningroller 21. When tensioning roller 21 is in its normal position, shaft176 holds arm 294 in the position shown in the drawings and said arm inturn holds lever 222 in tight engagement with wedge 194 so as tocompress spring 198 and prevent the serrated edge of the wedge fromengaging the strap. As tensioning roller 21 starts its downwardmovement, shaft 176 releases the operating lever 284 to thus permitspring 198 to move wedge 194 into engagement with the strap so as topinch the strap between said wedge and the cover 192 and thereby preventthe further downward movement of roller 21 from drawing the strap fromthe supply through gripping device 19. As tensioning roller 21 returnsto home position, shaft 176 picks up operating arm 2114 to disengagewedge 194 from the strap.

As previously mentioned, air line 59 leading to the cylinder 62 whichoperates tensioning roller 21 contains a pressure regulating valve 64whereby the force exerted by roller 21 may be adjusted so as to causethe strap to be tightened to the desired degree. This is an importantfeature of the machine inasmuch as it permits the machine to be usedwith a wide variety of packages. For example, if the package beingstrapped is a wooden box or even a heavy corrugated paper box it willgenerally be desirable to have the strap tighter than when strappingloose papers or paper backed books such as telephone directories or thelike. While the space between table 11 and the chain carrying yokedetermines the maximum size package that can be handled by the machine,the minimum size is determined by the stroke of piston rod 63 whichcarries the tensioning roller. When the package being strapped takes upmost of the space between yoke uprights 80 and 82 and the cross member84, there is very little slack in the strap, so roller 21 need move onlya short distance to tighten it but when the package is small there willbe more slack so that roller 21 must be moved farther to both remove theslack and tighten the strap. As mentioned, the total amount of slackthat tensioning roller 21 can remove depends upon the distance it canmove, which is solely dependent upon the stroke of rod 63.. Within thesemaximum and minimum sizes, the machine can accommodate a variety ofshapes and numbers of packages.

When the strap has been drawn tight about the package with the fingers23 between the package and the overlapping portions of the strap, it istime for sealer 24 to move in and apply the seal. The sealer itself isbest shown in FIGS. 18, 22 and 23, to which attention is now directed.

SEALER 24 The sealer comprises upper and lower cover plates 206 and Sspaced apart by posts 210, 212, and 214 to which said plates are securedby means of screws, bolts or the like. Pivot pins 216 and 218 extendbetween cover plates 206 and 208. A plurality of seal crimping jaws 220are pivotably mounted on pin 216 and a mating plurality of jaws 222 arepivoted on pin 218. There are four jaws 220 and a similar number of jaws222 and the jaws of each set are spaced apart by stationary spacedplates 224 shaped to engage the sides of seal 25 as shown in FIG. 23, inwhich figure top cover plate 206 has been removed. Post 214 is slottedto accommodate space plates 224 which are held in position by pivot pins216 and 218, being placed on said pins alternately with the movable jawsduring assembly. Spacer plates 224 have rounded teeth 226 against whichthe main body of seal 25 rests and which serve as anvils about which theseal is crimped when the movable jaws are operated. A pivot pin 228connects the four movable jaws 220 to a pair of links 230, there beingone link 230 sandwiched between the two outermost jaws and the two innerjaws. A pivot pin 232 interconnects the four jaws 222 and a single link234, link 234 being located between the two innermost jaws. The twolinks 230 and the single link 234 are pivotably connected by a pin 236to a pair of links 238. Link engages the middle of pin 236 and the twolinks 238 lie adjacent link 234 and between the two links 230. The otherends of links 238 are pivotably connected to a pin 240 carried by a pushrod 242 the end of which is bifurcated and fits outside the links 238,as best shown in FIG. 18. With this symmetrical arrangement of thevarious links, push rod 242 exerts equal force on all four jaws 220 andall four jaws 222.

Push rod 242 and links 238 are slidably guided between a pair of guidemembers 244 secured to frame plates 206 and 20S and said push rod isfurther articulated to the frame plates themselves. A pair of rods 246and 248 are screwed into posts 210 and 212 respectively and extendbetween and beyond the frame plates 206 and 208. Rods 246 and 248 fitloosely through holes in a cross member 250 secured to push rod 242 andsprings 252 and 254 fit around said rods between cross member 250 andthe posts 210 and 212.

Frame plates 206 and 208 of sealer 24 are slidably it) mounted in trackproviding members 256 and 258 of the main framework of the machine inalignment with the path of movement of the strap and between the fingers23, as shown in FIGS. 18 and 22. Normally the sealer is held inretracted position with the movable jaws open and spaced from the strap.

Push rod 242 of the sealer is connected to a link 260, see FIG. 8,having a slot 262 within which is positioned a pin 264 carried at theend of one arm of a bell crank 266. Bell crank 266 is pivotably mountedat 268 and the other arm thereof is pivotably connected to theaforementioned piston 71 of double acting air cylinder 70. Normallycylinder holds push rod 242 and sealer 24 in retracted position but whenair is admitted to the actuating end of the cylinder, bell crank 266 isrocked clockwise as viewed in FIG. 8 to cause the push rod to move thesealer into sealing position.

During the first part of the movement of hell crank 266 the push rod isnot affected but pin 264 merely moves to the front of slot 262 of link260. However, continued rocking of the bell crank causes push rod 242 tomove forward and through springs 252 and 254 to move the entire sealerforward in the track providing members 256 and 258. As shown in FIG. 18,a stop member 270 extends below the lower plate 208 of the sealer andwhen the entire sealer moves forward to the point where the leading endsof the spacer plates 224 are closely adjacent the side of the package,stop member 270 comes into engagement with a fixed stop 272 extendingbetween guide members 256 and 258. Further rocking of the bell crankcauses the push rod to continue its forward movement, compressingsprings 252 and 254, cross member 250 moving between sealer plates 206and 208.

Seal 25 has one long leg and one short and as shown in FIG. 23 the shortleg is engaged by sealer jaws 220 and the long leg by jaws 222. It isdesirably in order to obtain the most efiicient sealing of the ends ofthe strap to bend the long leg first and then overlap the free end ofthe long leg with the folded over short leg as shown in FIG. 21. Inorder to cause jaws 222 to operate before jaws 220, cam members 274 and276 are secured to frame plates 206 and 208 respectively and extend intothe path of movement of the ends of pivot pin 236, see FIGS. 18 and 23.As push rod 242 continues its forward movement after the sealer as awhole has come to rest, pivot pin 236 engages cams 274 and 276 to causelink 234 to swing the jaws 222 closed without etfecting substantialmovement of jaws 220 and when jaws 222 are fully closed and pin 236 haspassed beyond cams 274 and 276 the links 230 become effective to closejaws 220. It is an important feature of the present invention that thejaws of the sealer be operated seriatim rather than simultaneously.Fingers 23 of course hold the overlapping ends of the strap away fromthe package in order to permit the bending of the seal about the strap.

Loading the Sealer Referring now to FIGS. 18, 19 and 24, a supply ofseals is carried in a magazine 278 mounted directly above sealer 24.Magazine 278 is in the form of a generally U-shaped member open at thetop and at both ends and the seals 25 are nested in said magazine withthe legs of the seals facing one end thereof. The magazine is supportedcantilever style at the end faced by the seals and the support isprovided by a pair of members 280 and 282 secured to the top of sealerguiding members 256 and 258 respectively. Magazine 278 fits snuglybetween members 280 and 282 and rests upon lower flanges 284 and 286extending inwardly from said members. A cover 238 secured to the tops ofmembers 280 and 282 completes a housing into which the end of magazine27 8 is fitted. The front ends of members 280 and 282 butt against framemembers 290 and 292 which extend slightly into the path of the sides ofmagazine 278 and serve to limit the movement of the magazine when it isinserted into its support 1 l and assure the proper positioning thereof,as best shown in FIG. 19.

Seals 25 are urged toward the forward end of the magazine by a weight294, see FIG. 8. Weight 294 is connected to a follower 295 by a pair ofstrands 298 and 30%) which pass over suitable pulleys so that the weighttends to move the follower toward the front of the seal carryingmagazine. Follower 2% rides the legs of the U- shaped channel membercomprising the magazine and has a portion located within the magazine soas to bear against the seals as will readily be understood. As shown inFIG. 19, the short leg of the leading seal is positioned against a stopledge 392 of member 2&0 and the long leg bears against a member 304secured to member 292. This arrangement positions the leading sealdirectly above the sealer so that it can be pushed down into the sealer.

For pushing a seal into the jaws of the sealer the following mechanismis provided and attention is directed to FIGS. 8, 18, 22 and 24. Afinger 306 is pivotably mounted at 3&8 on an arm 319 of a slide 312.Slide 312 operates in a slot 314- cut into one face of frame member 292and a cover plate 316 secured by knurled bolts 318 to frame member 2%holds said slide in engagement with slot 314. As shown in FIG. 22, slide312 terminates at the bottom in two legs and a pin 252i) extends betweenthe legs and protrudes from the side of the slide. A roller 322 mountedon pin 32%) between the legs of slide 312 is held against one end of apivotably mounted lever 324 by means of a spring 326 extending betweenpin 32-0 and a stationary anchor. Lever 324 is pivotably mounted at 328in a bracket 33%, see FIG. 8, and at the end opposite its engagementwith roller 322 said lever is engaged by a roller 332 mounted on pin 264of bell crank 266.

As bell crank 266 is swung clockwise to operate sealer 24 as previouslyexplained, roller 332 moves onto a cam surface 334 of lever 324 and whensaid bell crank is fully operated roller 332 is engaged with the highestpoint of cam surface 334 with the consequence that lever 324 is rockedcounterclockwise as viewed in FIG. 8 to thereby move finger carryingslide 312 upward to position finger 366 as shown in FIG. 18. in the EEG.18 position, finger 336 is held in engagement with an adjustable stop336 by a light spring 333. Stop 336 is mounted in a bracket 34% securedto the cover plate 288 of the support for the seal carrying magazine278. Stop 336 is so adjusted that a shoulder 342 of finger is directlyabove the top edge of the foremost seal 25 which is located just forwardof the forward end of magazine 278, being held in that position by theengagement of its legs with stops 3G2 and 3% as aforesaid.

As sealer 24- reaches its home position after completing a sealingoperation, rollers 332 releases lever 324 and spring 326 thereupon movesslide 312 and finger 3% downward. During downward movement of finger366, the shoulder 342 thereof engages the foremost seal 25 and shoves itdownward into the sealer. A plate 344 secured to the bottom housingplate 268 of the sealer prevents the seal from dropping through thebottom of the sealer and locates the seal in proper position withrespect to the movable jaws. The sealer is thus loaded and ready for thenext sealing operation.

It has been mentioned briefly that after the seal is applied and thestrap carrier 22 has been moved back to starting position, the strap isout between the seal and the point where carrier 22 has re-engaged thesupply of strap. The operation of the strap severing device 28 will nowbe explained by referring particularly to FIGS. 22, 25, 26, and 27.

Cutter 28 A plate 346 is secured to a frame member 343 which in turn isfastened to a bracket 35% carried by table 11. Frame member 348 extendsthrough a slot in the table and positions plate 346 parallel to thetable as best shown in FIG. 27. Secured to the top surface of plate 346by bolts 352 is a guide member 354 having a pair of grooves 356 and 358cut into the sides thereof so that said grooves open toward thelongitudinal center line of said guide member. A slide member 360 isprovided with outwardly directed flanges, one of which is indicated at362 in FIGS. 25 and 26, which fit within the grooves 356 and 353. Pusherplate 364 is positioned within a cut-out 366 in table 11 and said pusherplate is provided with outwardly projecting tabs 368 and 370 which ridein grooves 356 and 258. A rod 372 projects from pusher plate 364 and aspring 374 surrounds said rod and extends into a retaining bore cut intotable 11. Spring 374 urges pusher plate 364 to the right as viewed inFIGS. 22 and 25 so that said pusher plate in turn urges slide member 360to the right.

A shoulder portion 376 of slide member 360 normally engages a projection37% of a lever 380 whereby movement of said slide member by pusher plate364 is prevented. Lever 339 is pivotably mounted on a pin 382 fittedwithin guide member 3 4 and works within a slot 3234 cut into andentirely across the bottom of the guide member. An opening 331 extendsthrough the guide member in alignment with slot 334 and the projection373 extends through said opening and into the path of shoulder portion376 of slide member 366. A leaf spring 3% holds lever 380 so that theprojection 378 is in alignment with shoulder 376.

Swingably mounted on a pin 3% fixed in slide member 360 is a cuttermember 3%. A block 392 is secured to and extends above slide member 369and a spring 394 working between a cut-out 396 in said block and acutout 3% in cutter member 2% urges said cutter member toward theposition shown in FIG. 25 with a side of the cutter member buttedagainst and stopped by a sloping side of block 392. Cutter member 395)has a cutting edge 4% which cooperates with a scissors-like action witha relatively stationary cutting edge 4&2 provided on an extension 494 ofa cover plate 496 secured to slide member 236i). A roller 463 is carriedby a pin 419 beneath cutter member 3% and works within a cut-out 412provided in slide member 360. Cutter member 399 is provided withprojections 414 and 416, the purpose of which will presently appear.

It has previously been mentioned that the action of cutter 28 iscontrolled by the plate 27 which is movable from a normally retractedposition shown in FIG. 5 to a projected position shown in FIG. 6. Plate27 has a downwardly projecting wing 418 which, as best shown in FIGS. 26and 27, lies adjacent one side of guide member 354 of the cutterassembly. When plate 27 is in its retracted position, an edge of wing418 is engaged with projection 414 of cutter member 390 and through saidcutter member is effective to hold slide 360 in retracted position. Whenplate 27 moves to its forward position, slide 360 moves, as willpresently be explained, to the position shown in FIGS. 25 and 26 whereincutter blades 4th) and 404 are located on opposite sides of the strap 18and in position for cutting said strap. Slide 360 is held in thisforward position by a latch 420 which is pivotably mounted on guidemember 354 and urged by a spring 422 into latching engagement with theblock 392.

It will be remembered that plate 27 is held in forward position duringthe reverse movement of strap carrier 22 and is not restored to homeposition until after the strap carrier has re-engaged the strap at apoint below table 11. As plate 27 makes its return movement, downwardlyprojecting wing 418 thereof engages roller 468 and swings cutter member390 about the pivot 388 to bring about the scissors action between blade40!) and the relatively stationary blade 402 to thus cut strap 18 atabout the plane of table 11. As cutter member 390 swingscounterclockwise as viewed in FIG. 25, the projection 416 thereofengages latch member 426 and causes it to release block 392. Continuedhomeward movement of plate 27 then brings the wing 413 into engagementwith cutter projection 414 so that during the last part of the returnmovement of 13 plate 27 slide 360 of the cutter assembly is moved to theleft as viewed in FIG. against the action of spring 374. When slide 360is in fully r tracted position the cutting edges 460 and 4M- are out ofthe path of movement of the strap, this condition being shown in FIGS.22 and 24-. In this position, the blades of the cutter are held closedby the action of the side of wing 418 against roller 468.

As plate 27 moves toward the FIG. 6 position, the wing 418 thereofreleases projection 414 of cutting member 390 but slide 360 does notimmediately move forward because it is restrained by the action of leverprojection 37% which bears against shoulder 376 as aforesaid. The firsteffective action of plate 27 with respect to the cutter is when the sideof wing 418 moves away from roller 408 to permit spring 394 to open thecutter. Continued movement of the plate 27 then brings a cam surface 424on the bottom edge of wing 418 into engagement with the free end oflever 38% to rock said lever and release the projection 373 thereof fromengagement with slide 369. Spring 374 then snaps slide 360 forward toposition the cutting edges 4th) and 462 as shown in FIG. 25.

Plate 27 itself is slidably mounted between the cutter supporting framemember 348 and the frame 166 which supports fingers 23. As shown in FIG.22, a link 426 is connected to plate 27 and to one arm of a bell crank430 which is pivotably mounted on shaft 174. The other arm of hell crank430 is connected to a piston 432 of double acting air cylinder 72. Thusmovement of plate 27 is controlled by cam C as aforesaid.

CYCLE CONTROL The mechanical drive of the machine, and the fluid systemwhich operates finger 23, tension roller 21, sealer 24 and the plate 27,have previously been described in a general way and will now bedescribed in more detail. Referring first to FIG. 28, motor 29 drivesforward and reverse transmission 36 through a right angled speedreduction unit 434 said speed reduction unit being driven from the shaft436 of the motor and having an output connected through a coupling 438to an input shaft 440 of the transmission. As shown in FIG. 14, theoutput shaft 47 of the transmission has splined thereon a pair of gears444 and 446 interconnected by a shifter yoke 448 by means of which themeshing of said gears with a drive gear 450 of input shaft 440 may becontrolled. Output shaft 47 carries outside the transmission housing agear 452 which through the gear train 48 drives a gear 454 secured oncam shaft 49, see FIG. 32. Output shaft 47 also drives chain sprocket 13through the clutch 31, see FIG. 14, as will later be described. Shifteryoke 448 has a cam following pin 456 connected to the top thereof andsaid pin engages a cam slot 458 in slide 43 which extends through thetransmission housing transversely of yoke 448. Normally slide 43 ispositioned to locate pin 456 in an intermediate position in slot 458 asshown in FIG. 32. In this position neither gear 444 nor 446 is meshedwith gear 455) and the transmission is in neutral.

The previously referred to linkage 42 which connects starting cylinderas to slide 43 is best shown in FIG. 28. A link 460 is pivotablyconnected at one end to a downwardly directed arm 462 of slide 43 and atthe other end to an arm 464 secured to a lever 466. Lever 466 ispivotably connected at the top to the stationary framework of themachine at 468 and at the bottom is connected by a pin 470 to piston 41of the cylinder 39. The cam following roller 44 is mounted on arm 464and normally is held in engagement with the set of cams 46 by the springwhich is connected at one end to pin 47d and anchored to the frameworkat the other end.

The set of cams 46 includes three elements 472, 474, and 476 mountedside-by-side on cam shaft 49, element 474 being keyed to the shaft andelements 472 and 476 being loosely mounted thereon. The three camelements are shown in FIGS. 28 and 32 but the configuration thereof isbest shown in FIG. 30. Cam following roller 14- 44 is wide enough tospan all three elements and when the machine is at rest said roller isengaged with an intermediate height segment 478 of cam element 474 tothus position slide 43 in intermediate or neutral position.

A spring 480 is connected at one end to a pin 482 secured to cam element472 and at the other end is anchored to a pin 483 secured in the machineframework. With the machine at rest, spring 480 holds cam element 472 inthe position shown in FIG. 28 with a shoulder 484 thereof bearingagainst a pin 486 protruding from cam element 474. In this position camelement 472 presents a high surface 488 to an arm 4% connected with camfollower 77, see FIG. 32, for a purpose presently to be explained.

Cam element 476 is provided with a slot 492, within which projects a pin494 protruding from cam element 474 and earn element 476 also has afriction disk 4% connected tl ereto by means of which cam element 474exerts a drag thereon.

When the machine is started by operation of foot pedal 40, cylinder 39causes its piston 41 to swing link 466 counterclockwise as viewed inFIG. 28 far enough to move roller 44 entirely out of the path of the setof cams 46. This moves slide 43 to the right as viewed in FIG. 32 farenough to locate pin 456 of shifter yoke 448 substantially against anend 498 of cam slot 458 to thus shift transmission gear 446 intoengagement with drive gear 451) and start the forward motion of camshaft 49 and chain 12. The forward motion of cam shaft 49 is clockwiseas viewed in FIG. 28 and as cam element 474, keyed to shaft 49, beginsto turn it drags cam element 476 along with it through friction disk 4%and spring 480 causes cam element 472 to follow pin 486. Shortly, a highsurface 500 of cam element 476 is presented in alignment with roller 44and it is at this time that valve 37, see FIG. 7, automatically releasesthe pressure on cylinder 39 to permit spring 45 to move roller 44 intoengagement with the high surface of cam element 476. This causes the end498 of slot 458, see FIG. 32, to move slightly away from shifter yokepin 456 but said pin remains in the same run of the slot and thetransmission continues in forward drive. When cam follower 44 moves intoengagement with cam element 476 it overcomes the frictional driveprovided by friction disk 496 so that element 476 no longer moves inunison with cam element 474 until pin 494 of cam element 474 moves intothe forward end of slot 492 at which time cam element 476 is picked upand again begins to rotate in forward direction. In FIG. 29, the two camelements 474 and 476 are shown at the moment pin 4% reaches the forwardend of slot 492 and begins to positively move cam 476. Cam elements 474and 476 continue to move as a unit in the clockwise direction until asloping surface 592 of cam element 476 becomes aligned with follower 44,it being apparent from FIG. 29 that at that time a low segment 594 ofcam element 474 will be aligned with follower 44. When cam follower 44leaves the high surface 500 of cam element 476 and moves onto thesloping surface 592, the force of follower 44 is sufiicient to rotatecam element 476 rapidly in a clockwise direction so that the followermoves down into contact with the low segment 504 of cam element 474,sloping surface 502 terminating somewhat lower than low segment 504.Slot 4% of cam element 476 permits this free movement of said camelement. When follower 44 moves onto the low segment 504, slide 43 ismoved to the left as viewed in FIG. 32 far enough to conditiontransmission 30 for reverse operation.

During forward movement of cam element 474, cam element 472 follows pin486 under the action of spring 486) until pin 482 on cam element 472becomes aligned between cam shaft 49 and spring anchor pin 483, at whichtime cam element 472 temporarily ceases to move, the high surface 438thereof still being aligned with arm 490. Cam element 474 is providedwith a pin 5% and as said cam element continues its forward rotation pinengages the back of a slot 50?: cut into cam element 472 and moves camelement 472 around until pin 482 moves over an extended center linebetween cam shaft 49 and spring anchor pin 483. Spring 280 then snapscam element 472 in the clockwise direction until the shoulder 484thereof engages the side of arm :90 which at that time has moved inward,as will later be explained.

As mentioned above, when follower 44 moves into engagement with lowsegment 504 of cam element 474, transmission becomes conditioned forreverse opera tion and cam shaft 59 therefore begins to turn in thecounterclockwise direction. At the end of its forward movement, shaft 49has turned through approximately 400 and it now moves backwardapproximately to return to the starting position shown in FIG. 28. Atthe beginning of the reverse movement, sloping surface 562 of camelement 476 is in engagement with follower 4 5 and the force provided byfriction disk 4% is not sulficient to permit rotation of cam element 474to be imparted to cam element 476 but before cam element 474 reacheshome position, pin 4&4 moves into engagement with one end of slot 492and thereby picks up cam element 476 and restores it to home position.Also, just before cam element 474 reaches home position, arm 4% movesout of the path of shoulder 48 of cam element 472 to permit spring 480to swing cam element 4-72 back against pin 486 of cam element 474. Atthe end of the reverse movement of cam shaft 43, a steeply slopedsegment 510 of cam element 474 engages follower 44 and raisees it ontointermediate segment 4'78 of said cam element, thus putting transmission30 in neutral and stopping the movement of cam shaft.

Cams A, B, and C which control fingers 23, sealer 24 and plate 27 arekeyed to earn shaft 49 and in FIG. 30 said cams are shown with theirrespective valve controlling follows located in relation thereto as theyare when the machine is at rest. As the cam shaft and cams A, B, and Cbegin their forward or clockwise rotation, a low segment 512 of cam C isquickly presented to follower 77 which controls the plate 27 aspreviously explained. However, follower 77 does not drop into the lowsegment of the cam at this time because, as shown in FlG. 28, thehereinbefore described arm 490 of said follower is aligned with the highsurface of cam element 472 and engages cam element 4'72 after a veryslight movement. In the chart shown in FIG. 31 the raised portions ofthe lines indicate the timing of the low portions of cams A, B, and Cand the dotted line over the first elevation of the lowest lineindicates that the low surface of cam C is presented during the earlypart of the cycle but is not effective at that time.

When cam shaft 49 has rotated approximately 272 a low segment 514 of camA moves into alignment with follower 50 and follower 50 drops into saidlow segment to thereupon cause valve 51 to operate cylinder 55 andproject fingers 23 forward as previously described. Follower 50 remainsin engagement with the low segment of cam A until cam shaft 49 hasrotated approximately 332, at which time it rides back onto the highsegment of the cam to cause fingers 27 to be retracted. During theremainder of the forward movement of cam shaft 49 and during the reversemovement thereof follower 50 continues in engagement with the highsurface of cam A.

Since sealer 24 must begin to operate while fingers 27 are in positionbetween the strap and the box, a low segment 516 of cam B moves intoalignment with its follower while follower 50 is still engaged with thelow segment of cam A. As indicated in FIG. 31, cam B presents its lowsurface to follower 65 when cam shaft 49 has rotated approximately 290and follower 65 continues to ride the low segment until shaft 49 hasrotated approximately 355. The degree marks on the chart in FIG. 31 areintended to indicate a forward rotation of cam shaft 49 of 400 followedby a reverse rotation of 40 and cam B presents its high surface tofollower 65 for the second l. 13 time during the last 45 of forwardrotation and the 40 of reverse rotation. It will be noted that fingers23 are retracted before sealer 2-. completes its full movement.

Low surface 512 of cam C, which was inetfectively presented to follower'77 early in the cycle is not presented again until cam shaft 49 nearsthe end of its forward movement. As indicated in FIG. 31, the secondpresentation of low segment 512 takes place at approximately 380rotation of the cam shaft. This time the high surface of cam element 472is not aligned with arm 490 of follower 77 and said follower thereforemoves onto the low segment of cam C. Follower '77, through valve andcylinder '72 thus causes plate 27 to move forward near the end of theforward rotation of cam shaft 49 to effectuate release of the strapcarrier 22 as previously described. Since strap carrier 22 rides theforward edge of plate 27 during reverse movement of chain 12 and sinceplate 27 operates cutter 2% during its return movement, it is nece saryfor plate 27 to remain in forward position until just before the entirecycle is completed and from FIG. 31 it will be seen that the highsurface of cam C does not reengage follower 77 until shortly before camshaft 49 has completed its 40 of reverse movement. Unlike followers 50and :55, follower '77 moves onto and off low segment 512 over the samesloping cam surface 518. Followers 59 and 65 ride onto the low surfacesof their respective cams at one end and off at the other.

While cam shaft 49 and chain 12 begin their forward and reversemovements at the same time their periods or time of operation aredifferent. Thus cam shaft 49 rotates in the forward direction at alltimes that transmission 30 is conditioned for forward drive and likewiserotates in reverse direction at all times that the transmission isconditioned for reverse. As previously mentioned, however, there is aclutch 33. between transmission 30 and the sprocket 13 which driveschain 12 and this clutch is effective to interrupt the drive to sprocket13 as will now be explained. First, it might be mentioned that cam shaft49 rotates in forward direction for a considerable distance after thedrive to chain 12 is interrupted and in fact the forward movement ofchain 12 is stopped before any of the followers 56, 65, and 7'7 dropinto the low portions of their respective cams A, B, and C. The actualtiming of cams A, B, and C shown in FIG. 31 is not particularlyimportant, so long as those relative times are maintained, that is thatthe low part of cam B becomes effective while follower 50 is still inthe low part of cam A and that the low portions of both cams A and Bhave passed their respective followers before the low portion of cam Cbecomes effective.

CLUTCH CONTROL Referring now to FIGS. 14, 15, 33, 34, and 35; clutch 31comprises a driving member 520 secured to output shaft 47 oftransmission 30 and a driven member 522 secured to shaft @6 to whichsprocket 13 is fixed. The clutch is a positive drive type and includes adog 52-4 slidably mounted in driving member 520 and urged by a spring526 toward the face of driven member 522 which has an open topped slotinto which the end of the dog fits when the clutch is in engagedcondition. Dog 524- has an upstanding ear 523 which extends above thecylindrical periphery of driving member 520 and said ear has a pair ofcam surfaces adapted to be engaged by a vertically movable slide 530 tomove dog 524 against the action of spring 526 to disengage the clutch.

Slide 530 is mounted in a slot 532 out into one face of a thick plate534. A cover plate 536 overlies slot 532 and serves to confine slide 530within said slot. Plate 534 is mounted on a spacer member 533 secured tothe machine frame member 88, said spacer member serving to locate slide530 in the proper position with respect to the ear of clutch dog 524.Slide 530 is held in an elevated position shown in FIGS. l4, l5, and 34by a member 540 which is slidably mounted in an opening cut through oneside of the thick plate 534 and has an end extending into a ll 7 notch542 cut into one edge of slide 530. The other end of member 540 isarticulated to one end of a lever 544 pivotably mounted on a pin 546between a pair of ears 54S extending from spacer member 538. A lightspring 550 urges member 540 toward the left as viewed in FIG. 32 toengage said member with slide 530.

A lever 552, see FIGS. 14 and 28, is pivotably mounted on a pin 554 in abracket 556 secured to frame member 88. Lever 552 has a nose 558extending through a slot in yoke member 8t) and a spring 569 connectedto the bottom end of lever 552 holds nose 558 in the path of movement ofstrap carrier 22. The lower end of lever 552 is located in proximitywith lever 544 so that when lever 552 is rocked by engagement of thestrap carrier with the nose 558 thereof, it rocks lever 544counterclockwise as viewed in FIG. 32 to withdraw member 540 fromengagement with slide 530. Nose 558 is located midway the upper stoppingposition of strap carrier 22 and the lower stopping position andconsequently is struck by the strap carrier during both its forward andreverse movements. In fact, lever 552 is rocked twice during the forwardmovement of strap carrier 22, the first time being just after thecarrier begins its forward movement. However, as will be explained, thefirst rocking of lever 552 and consequent withdrawal of member 540 fromengagement with slide 534) is not effective to permit said slide to movedownward into clutch disengaging position.

Extending from cover plate 536, is a bracket 562 which is slotted andwithin the slot a lever 564 is pivotably mounted by means of a pin 566.A compression spring 568 working between bracket 562 and lever 564 tendsto rock the lever in a clockwise direction as viewed in FIGS. 14, 33,and 34. Lever 564 is also slotted and an arm 570 is mounted within theslotted portion and pivotably connected to the lever by a pin 572. Acompression spring 574 working between lever 564 and arm 570 urges saidarm in a clockwise direction so that a pin 576 carried by said armengages a camming surface 573 of cover plate 536, the free end of saidarm working within an opening provided in said cover plate.

Referring to FIGS. 32 and 35, it has been mentioned that at thebeginning of a cycle of operation, slide 43 is moved through the housingof transmission 30 far enough so that the end 498 of slot 458 is engagedwith the pin 456 of shifter yoke 448 and that shortly after the cyclebegins, slide 43 recedes as follower 44 moves into engagement with thecam set 46 but that the transmission is still held in forward drivebecause slide 43 does not recede far enough to cause the slot 458 toshift yoke 448. Slide 43 carries a pin 588 which, when said slide isshifted to the starting position, engages a sloping end 532 of a slide584. Slide 584 is mounted for free sliding movement in a top cover 586of the transmission housing and has an end protruding through a sidewall of the housing. When slide 584 is engaged by pin 53% it is shiftedto the right as viewed in FIG. 35.

Slide 584 is located directly above shifter yoke 448 and both arealigned with lever 564 of the clutch control mechanism. FIG. 34 showsthe parts at the beginning of a cycle of operation while slide 584 isbeing held in its rightwardly shifted position by pin 580 and it will beobserved that slide 584 is holding lever 564 in such position that thefree end of arm 570 is located beneath a shoulder S6 defining the top ofa cut-out portion in clutch releasing slide 539. Cam surface 578 ofcover plate 536 and spring 574 cooperate in holding arm 570 in theposition shown. With arm 57% in the position shown in FIG. 34, slide 530cannot move down even though released by member 54% and said arm is heldin this position by slide 584 until after strap carrier 22 passes by thenose of release lever 552 to efifect actuation of member 540 asdescribed.

As soon as slide 43 is slightly retracted due to release of the airpressure from piston 39, pin 5S0 releases slide 584 and springs 568 and574 are effective to move their associated parts to the position shownin FIG. 33 with the end of arm 570 located considerably below shoulder586 of clutch release slide 534 Under this circumstance, slide 53% isfree to move downward when released by member 54% and in FIG. 33 saidslide is shown in its downward position. When slide 536 is down thelower end thereof is in the path of movement of ear 528 of clutch dog524 and when said ear moves into engagement with the slide, dog 524 iscammed out of engagement with driven clutch member 522 to release theclutch.

As best shown in FIG. 15, a pair of levers 5% and 592 are pivotablymounted on the lower end of plate 534 which is curved so as to extendabout the upper por tion of clutch members 52% and 522. Springs 594 and5% extending between levers 5% and 592 and the supporting plate 534 urgesaid levers in the directions to engage protrusions thereon with drivenclutch member 522. When slide 530 is in the elevated position, the freeends of levers 5% and 592 engage respectively pins 595 and 597 extendingfrom said slide, which it is to be noted has a curved lower surface 59%substantially matching the curvature of the periphery of clutch member520. The fact that surface 598 is curved gives the illusion in FIGS. 14and 34 that plate 530 is in position to cause disengagement of theclutch but actually plate 530 is entirely clear of the path of dog 524when in the FIGS. 14 and 34 position, as is shown in FIG. 15. When slide53!) moves down, pins 595 and 597 release levers 590 and 592 to theaction of their respective springs. When clutch member 52% then rotatesto the point where the ear 528 of dog 524 engages slide 53! the clutchis released as aforesaid but driven member 522 of the clutch rotates ashort distance due to the momentum of chain 12 until the slot in member522 vacated by dog 524 comes into alignment with the protrusion of lever5% or 592. which drops into the slot in member 522 to bring the chainand strap carrier to rest in the exact desired position. When themachine is in forward drive, it is the lever 59% which arrests thedriven member of the clutch and when in reverse the lever 592 serves thesame purpose. The timing of the release of slide 53% is such that clutch31 stays engaged until it has driven strap carrier to near the desiredstopping position before said slide is engaged by the ear of dog 524 andvery shortly thereafter the driven member of the clutch is positivelyarrested.

In FIG. 14, the parts are shown conditioned for reverse operation and itwill be observed that the end of arm 574i is completely out of the pathof movement of slide 539 so that said slide is free to move down whenreleased by member 549 in the manner explained. Arm 570 is held in thisposition due to the fact that shifter yoke 443 is engaged with lever 564and has rocked said lever far enough that cam surface 578 in cooperationwith pin 576 has swung the arm 570 in a counterclockwise direction. Itwill be remembered that as viewed in FIGS. 14, 33, 34, and 35, slide 554moves to the right when the machine is first conditioned for forwardoperation but that shifter yoke 448 is moved toward the left and thatwhen the machine is conditioned for reverse, shifter yoke 44% is movedto the right.

FIG. 33 shows the lever 564 and arm 57% in the positions which theyoccupy both when the machine is running in forward direction, that is,except for the very beginning of the forward movement, and when strapcarrier 22 is at rest in both the FIG. 1 and FIG. 2 positions. Assumingthat the strap carrier 22 is at rest in the FIG. 1 position and that theoperator depresses foot pedal 40 to start the machine, slide 584 thenmoves forward to the position shown in FIG. 34 to cause arm 57% to swingcounterclockwise and at the same time to move upward, this motion beingeffected in part by the action of cam surface 57% on pin 476. Thismovement causes the end of arm 57%) to engage shoulder 586 of slide 530and raise said slide until the notch 542 thereof is aligned with themember 540 which thereupon snaps into the notch to hold slide 534 in theelevated position, as shown in FIG. 34.

a After strap carrier 22 passes by the lever 552 the first time, thepressure is released from slide 534 as above described so that lever 56i and arm 57th are permitted to move to the position shown in FIG. 33.When strap carrier 22 has come to rest in the FIG. 2 position, theshifting of transmission 30 into reverse causes shifter yoke 443 to rocklever 5'4 and arm 5'70 from the positions shown in FIG. 33 to theposition shown in FIG. 14 and during this movement the end of arm 570first restores slide 53% to latching engagement with member and thenmoves leftward away from slide 530 so that said slide will be free tomove down when released by member 543.

Having thus described a preferred embodiment of the invention, what isclaimed is:

. In an automatic binding machine, a carrier for gripping an end of aflexible binding material extending from a supply, means for moving saidcarrier in a first direction from a starting position through a circuitof more than 360 which encompasses an article to be bound whereby thebinding material is looped about the article with the end engaged bysaid carrier lapping that portion of the binding material extendingtoward the supply, means for securing the lapping portions of thebinding material together, means for disengaging said carrier from thebinding material, means for moving said carrier in the directionopposite to the first direction to restore said carrier to startingposition, and means for re-engaging said carrier with the bindingmaterial when said carrier is restored to starting position.

2. In an automatic binding machine, a carrier for gripping an end of aflexible binding material extending from a supply, means for moving saidcarrier in a first direction from a starting position through a circuitof more than 369 which encompasses an article to be bound whereby thebinding material is looped about the article with the end engaged bysaid carrier lapping that portion of the binding material extendingtoward the supply, means for securing the lapping portions of thebinding material together, means for disengaging said carrier from thebinding material, means for moving said carrier in the directionopposite to the first direction to restore said carrier to startingposition, means for re-engaging said carrier with the binding materialwhen said carrier is restored to starting position, and means forcutting the binding material between the point where the lapped portionsthereof are secured together and the point where the binding material isre-engaged by said carrier.

3. In an automatic binding machine, a carrier for gripping an end of aflexible binding material extending from a supply, means for moving saidcarrier in a first direction from a starting position through a circuitof more than 360 which encompasses an article to be bound whereby thebinding material is looped about the article with the end engaged bysaid carrier lapping that portion of the binding material extendingtoward the supply, means for tightening the binding material about thearticle being bound, means for securing the lapping portions of thebinding material together, means for disengaging said carrier from thebinding material, means for moving said carrier in the directionoppositte to the first direction to restore said carrier to startingposition, means for reengaging said carrier with the binding materialwhen said carrier is restored to starting position, and means forcutting the binding material between the point Where the lapped portionsthereof are secured together and the point where the binding material isre-engaged by said carrier.

4. in an automatic binding machine, a carrier for gripping an end of aflexible binding material extending from a supply, means for moving saidcarrier in a first direction from a starting position through a circuitof more than 360 which encompasses an article to be bound whereby thebinding material is looped about the article with the end engaged bysaid carrier lapping that portion of the binding material extendingtoward the supply,

cycle control means, means controlled by said cycle control means fortightening the binding material about the article being bound, meanscontrolled by said cycle control means for securing the lapping portionsof the binding material together, means for disengaging said carrierfrom the binding material, means for moving said carrier in thedirection opposite to the first direction to restore said carrier tostarting position, means for re-engaging said carrier with the bindingmaterial when said carrier is restored to starting position, and meanscontrolled by said cycle control means for cutting the binding materialbetween the point where the lapped portions thereof are secured togetherand the point where the binding material is re-engaged by said carrier.

5. In an automatic binding machine, a carrier for gripping an end of aflexible binding material extending from a supply, means for moving saidcarrier in a first direction from a starting position through a circuitof more than 360 which encompasses an article to be bound whereby thebinding material is looped about the article with the end engaged bysaid carrier lapping that portion of the binding material extendingtoward the supply, cycle control means, tightening means controlled bysaid cycle control means for tightening the binding material about thearticle being bound, manually controlled means for regulating thetension applied to the binding material by said tightening means, meanscontrolled by said cycle control means for securing the lapping portionsof the binding material together, means for disengaging said carrierfrom the binding material, means for moving said carrier in thedirection opposite to the first direction to restore said carrier tostarting position, means for reengaging said carrier with the bindingmaterial when said carrier is restored to starting position, and meanscontrolled by said cycle control means for cutting the binding materialbetween the point where the lapped portions thereof are secured togetherand the point where the binding material is re-engaged by said carrier.

6. In an automatic binding machine, a carrier for gripping an end of afiexible binding material extending from a supply, means for moving saidcarrier in a first direction from a starting position through a circuitof more than 360 which encompasses an article to be bound whereby thebinding material is looped about the article with the end engaged bysaid carrier lapping that portion of the binding material extendingtoward the supply, cycle control means, tightening means controlled bysaid cycle control means for tightening the binding material about thearticle being bound, said tightening means engaging the binding materialbetween the lapping portions thereof and the supply, means controlled bysaid cycle control means for securing the lapping portions of thebinding material together, means for disengaging said carrier from thebinding material, means for moving said carrier in the directionopposite to the first direction to restore said carrier to startingposition, means for re-engaging said carrier with the binding materialwhen said carrier is restored to starting position, and means controlledby said cycle control means for cutting the binding material between thepoint where the lapped portions thereof are secured together and thepoint where the binding material is re-engaged by said carrier.

7. In an automatic strapping machine, a carrier for gripping an end of aflexible fiat strap extending from a supply, means for moving saidcarrier in a first direction from a starting position through a circuitof more than 360 which encompasses an article to be bound whereby thestrap is looped about the article with the end engaged by said carrierlapping that portion of the strap extending toward the supply and withthe end of the strap gripped by said carrier located between the articleand that portion of the strap extending toward the supply, means fortigh ening the strap about the article being bound, means for spacingthe lapping portions of the strap from the article being bound, meansfor applying a seal about the lapping

1. IN AN AUTOMATIC BINDING MACHINE, A CARRIER FOR GRIPPING AN END OF AFLEXIBLE BINDING MATERIAL EXTENDING FROM A SUPPLY, MEANS FOR MOVING SAIDCARRIER IN A FIRST DIRECTION FROM A STARTING POSITION THROUGH A CIRCUITOF MORE THAN 360* WHICH ENCOMPASSES AN ARTICLE TO BE BOUND WHEREBY THEBINDING MATERIAL IS LOOPED ABOUT THE ARTICLE WITH THE END ENGAGED BYSAID CARRIER LAPPING THAT PORTION OF THE BINDING MATERIAL EXTENDINGTOWARD THE SUPPLY, MEANS FOR SECURING THE LAPPING PORTIONS OF THEBINDING MATERIAL TOGETHER, MEANS FOR DISENGAGING SAID CARRIER FROM THEBINDING MATERIAL, MEANS FOR MOVING SAID CARRIER IN THE DIRECTIONOPPOSITE TO THE FIRST DIRECTION TO RESTORE SAID CARRIER TO STARTINGPOSITION, AND MEANS FOR RE-ENGAGING SAID CARRIER WITH THE BINDINGMATERIAL WHEN SAID CARRIER IS RESTORED TO STARTING POSITION.